INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
In any organization, the need to maintain the image of the organization is of great importance hence this study surveys the role of public relations in building corporate image. It set out to find out whether Estisalat Enugu, has in any way established rapport and good will in the course of its dealings with the various publics. It will also identify whether the customers are satisfied with the services of the organization. This study will also x-ray how far the public relations roles have helped or will help to co-ordinate the organization and its various publics. But if the publics perception of the Estisalat image when determined is bad, then the researcher would be in a position to advise and make necessary recommendations that will contribute to the knowledge of generality of Estisalats in their guest for enhancement of corporate image in government parastatals. It is the responsibility of every industry to have a cordial relationship with their employees and their external environment ie the general public.
According to British institute dictionary; “public relations is defined as a liberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain understanding between an organization and it’s public”.
According to Philip Leshy, “Public Relations is a thing that helps an organization and its public accommodate each other.” Moreso, the American Association of Public Relation practitioners defined Public Relation as “Doing the right thing and letting people know about it, ie applying the golden rule in the everyday activities.
This research is aimed at working into the role of public relations department in an organization, the practice activities and objectives of public relations in an effort to maintain industrial harmony amongst the industries and the general public of the problems encountered by this department and the possible solution to those problems.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM;
In third world countries of which Nigeria is amongst, public relations have been mistaken for publicity, product promotion, advertising, marketing and even propaganda in both public and privately owned industries. But it is quite clear that public relation is a combination of all of the above and even more.
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF STUDY
This research work is aimed examining and recommending suggested solutions to the problems encountered by the public relations depart. In the light of this, the objectives of study are:
– To find out the problems encountered by this unit in an industry and proffer solutions to the problems where necessary.
1.4 SIGNIFCANCE OF STUDY;
As earlier stated, public relations has been defined by experts as a “deliberate, planned and sustained efforts to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organization and it’s public. It is based on this that public relations can be viewed from the following perspectives and terms;
The work of a public relation practitioner in this context is the totality of concerted efforts by the industries to establish appropriate and effective communication system that will enable it’s various public to develop a common definition of the meaning and goal of these programmes. Moreso, it is expected of each functionary to successfully execute the programmes and most importantly the acceptance of these programmes by the public which are the ultimate beneficiaries of the programmes.
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS;
– Do you think that public relations are really an important tool for industrial harmony?
1.6 FORMULATION OF HYPOTHESIS
1
– H4
> Represent alternative hypothesis.
Hypothesis (1)
H1
> public relations is a tool for industrial harmony.Ho
> public relation is not a tool for industrial harmony.H2
> public relations has positive effect on the overallperformance of an industry.
Ho
> public relations does not have positive effect on theoverall performance an industry.
H3
> public relation is a tool for modifying the publics’attitude and executing programmes to earn public acceptance.
Ho
> Public relation is not a tool for modifying the publics’attitude and executing programmes to earn public acceptance.
H4
> public relations practitioners are on the right tracktowards achieving the aims.
Ho
>Public relations practitioners are not on the right tracktowards achieving their aims.
1.7 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
The theory that reflects this work trace its root from The Selective Attention perspective. In this aspect, theorists tell us that although the eye can handle about five million bits of data per second, the brain is able to compute the information at a much lower rate. Obviously, at any given time, a person must select the information, which he or she will give active attention, or else nothing will make sense.
When one doe draw fro it, the person may either respond to the data immediately or transfer the information to a more permanent memory bank (Egeth 1967).
One of the problems associated with their global challenges is based on the audience selective perception, perhaps the most workable definition of perception is that it is the process of making sense out of experience (Haney 1967).
However, the process of perception is not as simple as this definition may at first seem. To begin with different people do not experience the same stimuli in exactly the same way. Differences in environment, differences in sense on reception or receptors etc. contribute to difference in the way a person perceives reality.
No two people invest a particular work with exactly the same meaning to one person; the word happy may mean not being depressed to another person. This brings to mind again of the individual differences theory, which stipulates that no two persons are alike, even twin brothers. The level of our perception on media exposure differ from one another and the global challenges facing the Nigeria media establishment depend on the way the people of Nigeria were exposed to the media both internationally.
1.8 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of this study is to gather information required on the role of Public Relation in a corporate organization.
1.9 LIMITATION OF STUDY;
In the course of this research, the researcher encountered so many difficulties among which are financial constraint time constraint and lack of enough reference material to fall back on for literature review.
The topic is a one, which attracts public attention and interest on a national scale. Unfortunately, it would not be handled on the required scale. As a result of this, the researcher limited the research work at Estisalat Enugu because of the limited time available.
1.10 CONCEPTUAL AND OPERATIONAL DEFINITION
Definition of Terms Conceptual
Operational Definition